Railway tank cars



July 7, 1964 J. F. KRAUSE, JR

RAILWAY TANK CARS 1 Re 5. u mw .w m mm ,A mi? m a m L S J 4 R BY wf@ a, im,

wm wm Q E w. F a l I E s m s a f n 1 R 1 m. w

July 7, 1964 J. F. KRAUsE, JR 3,139,841

'RAILWAY TANK CARS Filed April 28. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

INVENToR. John Krause Jr @2, f7@ @www M47 l 070A ATTys.

July 7, 1964 J. F. KRAUSE, JR

RAILWAY TANK CARS 4 Sheets-Sheet C5 Filed April 28, 1961 JNVENTOR John E Krause Jn July 7, 1964 J. F. KRAusE, JR

RAILWAY TANK CARS Filed April 28, 1961 INVENToR. John l? Krause .In

Ams.

@www

United States Patent 3,139,841 RAILWAY TANK CARS John F. Krause, Jr., Munster, Ind., assigner to General American Transportation Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New York Fiied Apr. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 106,256 4 Claims. (Cl. 10S-360) The present invention relates to railway tank cars, and more particularly to such railway tank cars comprising longitudinally extending tubular body shells of self-supporting rigid construction and of fish-belly configuration and incorporating no underframes or center sills extending longitudinally from end to end thereof.

lt is a general object of the invention to provide a railway tank car of the type noted that comprises a pair of longitudinally aligned stub draft sills respectively arranged below the opposite ends of the body shell thereof, wherein the longitudinal center lines of the stub draft sills are located well above the lower plane of the central portion of the body shell and the extreme inner ends of the stub draft sills are respectively rigidly connected to the adjacent parts of the central body portion of the body shell in order to minimize rotational draft torques applied between the stub draft sills and the body shell.

Another object of the invention is to provide a railway tank car of the character described, wherein the intermediate portion of each of the stub draft sills is disposed below the adjacent end of the body shell and has a laterally extending body bolster rigidly connected thereto, and wherein pedestal structures are respectively arranged between the body bolsters and the adjacent ends of the body shell in order to support the same and to prevent lateral movements thereof with respect to the adjacent supporting body bolsters.

A further object of the invention is to provide a railway tank car of the character described, wherein the major fractions of the draft forces are applied between the stub draft sills and the body shell via the inner ends of the stub draft sills that are rigidly connected to the central portion of the body shell, and wherein the minor fractions of the draft forces are applied between the stub draft sills and the body shell via the body holsters and the pedestal structures respectively arranged between the body bolsters and the adjacent ends of the body shell.

A still further object of the inventionvis to provide in a railway tank car, including a body shell of fish-belly configuration, a unified stub draft sill and body bolster and pedestal structure that is of improved construction and arrangement.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular construction and arrangement of the elements of the railway tank car, whereby the above-outlined and additional operating features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

vFIGURE 1 is a plan view of a railway tank car ernbodying the present invention; j

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the railway tank car shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged end elevational view of the railway tank car shown in FIGS. l and 2;

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, of one end of the railway tank car, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, inclusive;

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged lateral sectional view of the stub draft sill and the superimposed reinforcing plate incorporated in the one end of the railway tank car, this ice view being taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is another greatly enlarged lateral sectional View, similar to FIG. 5, of the stubdraft sill and the reinforcing plate, this View being taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 6-6 in FIG. 4; FIG. 7 is a greatly enlarged lateral sectional view of the stub draft sill and the body bolster and the pedestal structure incorporated in the one end of the railway tank car, this view being taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 7-7 in FIG. 4;

FIG. S is a still further enlarged longitudinal sectional View, taken through the stub draft sill and the body bolster and the pedestal structure, this view being taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 8-8 in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a still further enlarged fragmentary bottom View, taken through the upper portion of the body bolster and illustrating the arrangement of the super-imposed pedestal structure, this View being taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 9-9 in FIG. 7.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawings, the railway tank car 10 there illustrated and embodying the features of the present invention comprises a longitudinally extending tubular body shell 11 of large volume and of fish-belly construction. More particulary, the body shell 11 is of self-supporting rigid welded steel plate construction, including a central portion C and two identical end portions E, as shown in FIG. l. The central portion C is formed of four cylindrical central sections 12; and each of the end portions E is formed of a frusto-conical intermediate transition section 13, a cylindrical end section 14 and a convex end .head 15. Each of the central sections 12 is of relatively large diameter; each of the end sections 14 is of relatively small diameter; the inner end of each of the transition sections 13 is of the relatively large diameter of the adjacent central section 12; and the outer end of each of the transition sections 13 is of the relatively small diameter of the adjacent end section 14. The tops of the four central sections 12, the tops of the two intermediate transition sections 13 and the tops of the two end sections 14 are disposed in a substantially horizontal upper plane, indicated at 21 in FIG. 3; the bottoms of the two end sections 14 are disposed in a substantially horizontal intermediate plane, indicated at 22 in FIG. 3; the bot- .toms of the four central sections 12 are disposed in a ,substantially horizontal lower plane, indicated at 23 in FIG. 3; and the bottoms of the two transition sections 13 are respectively disposed in two generally upwardly and oppositely outwardly inclined planes, respectively indicated at 24 and 25 in FIG. 2. The contiguous edges of the adjacent sections 12, 13 and 14 and the end heads 1S are welded together to form fluid tight joints therebetween, as indicated by the weld lines 16.

In a constructional example of the body shell 11 that is adapted to contain approximately 30,000 gallons of liquid lading, the overall length of the body shell 11 between the inside surfaces of the end heads 15 is approximately 6l ft. Mz in. Each of the central sections 12 has a length of 7 ft. 6 in. and an internal diameter of 118 in. and is formed of 157/16 in. steel plate. Each of the end sections 14 has a length of 4 ft. 4 in. and an internal diameter of 99 in. and is formed of 1?/16 in. steel plate. Each of the transition sections 13 has a length of 8 ft. /16 in. and an internal diameter at the inner end thereof of 118 in. and an internal diameter at the outer end thereof of 99 in. and is formed of 15/16 in. steel plate. Each of the end heads 15 has a length between the inner end thereof and the bend line thereof of 2 in. and a length between the bend line thereof and the inside surface thereof of 2 ft.

3A in. and an internal diameter at the inner end thereof of 99 in. and is formed of 1%@ in. steel plate.

Also the body shell 11 is provided at the top central portion thereof with an upstanding substantially cylindrical dome structure 17 formed of steel plate and suitably welded into the two adjacent central sections 12; which dome structure 17 is provided with a removable cover 18, also formed of steel plate, and accommodating access into the interior of the body shell 11 through the upstanding dome structure 17. Two lower platforms 31 formed of fabricated steel elements are respectively carried by the body shell 11 at the opposite ends thereof; a substantially annular work platform 32 formed of fabricated steel elements is carried by the top central portion of the body shell 11 in surrounding relation with respect to the upstanding dome structure 17; and a pair of longitudinally extending catwalk platform structures 33 formed of fabricated steel elements are carried by the top of the body shell 11 and extend outwardly from the opposite sides of the annular work platform 32 and terminate at the opposite ends thereof respectively above the lower work platforms 31. Also, the opposite ends of the lower work platforms 31 respectively carry a pair of upstanding ladder structures 34 that respectively interconnect the lower platform structures 31 and the adjacent outer ends of the upper catwalk platform structures 33. Further, the outer ends of the lower platform structures 31 carry suitable upstanding handrail structures 35 respectively interconnected with the ladder structures 34; the upper substantially annular work platform 32 carries suitable upstanding handrail structures 36; and the catwalk platform structures 33 carry suitable upstanding handrail structures 37. The outer ends of the handrail structures 37 are interconnected with respect to the ladder structures 34, while the inner ends of the handrail structures 37 are interconnected with respect to the handrail structures 36.

Also, the railway tank car 1t) comprises a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart and aligned substantially centrally disposed stub draft sills 40 respectively arranged below the opposite ends of the tank body shell 11; which stub draft sills 40 are respectively provided with a pair of laterally extending body holsters 50 that are respectively operatively connected to a pair of supporting trucks 60 that, in turn, are provided with flanged wheels 61 supported by the associated rails 62 of a cooperating railway track, as best illustrated in FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 to 7, inclusive, one end of the railway tank car is there illustrated; and it will be observed that the adjacent stub draft sill 40 disposed therebelow is of hollow construction essentially comprising an inverted substantially U-shaped steel channel including a top wall 41, a pair of laterally spaced-apart side walls 42 and a pair of laterally outwardly extending anges 43 respectively carried by the lower edges of the side walls 42. The central portion of the stub draft sill 40 carries the body bolster 50, as explained more fully hereinafter, and is positioned below the adjacent end section 14 of the body shell 11; the inner end of the stub draft sill 40 projects below the adjacent transition section 13 of the body shell 11; and the outer end of the stub draft sill 40 projects outwardly beyond the adjacent end head of the body shell 11. More particularly, the bottom of the transition section 13 is reinforced by an associated plate 44 of substantially arcuate configuration; which reinforcing plate 44 is formed of 1/2 in. steel plate and is rigidly connected, as by welding, as indicated at 45 in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, about the perimeter thereof to the adjacent lower surface of the transition section 13. The stub draft sill 40 is disposed entirely above the lower plane 23 of the bottom of the central section 12 and the inner end thereof is downwardly tapered and disposed in engagement with the reinforcing plate 44 and rigidly connected thereto, as by welding, as indicated at 46 in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.

Referring now to FIGS. 4, 7, S and 9, the body bolster CTI 50 is fabricated of 1/2 in. steel plate and essentially comprises a laterally extending top plate 51 disposed in engagement with the top wall 41 of the central portion of the stub draft sill 40 and rigidly connected thereto, as by welding, as indicated at 52 in FIG. 8. The top plate 51 of the body bolster 50 has a number of laterally extending slots 53 formed therein which also receive weldments, as indicated at 54 in FIG. 8; thereby positively to insure a rigid connection between the top plate 51 and the top wall 41 of the stub draft sill 40. Also the body bolster 50 comprises a laterally extending bottom plate 55 underlying the flanges 43 carried by the side walls 42 of the stub draft sill 40; which bottom plate 55 is suitably welded to the adjacent surfaces of the flanges 43 in any suitable manner, not shown. Further, the body bolster 50 comprises a pair of laterally extending arms 56, each including a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart upstanding side plates 57, as well as a reinforcing element 5S arranged between the side plates 57 and suitably connected at the opposite ends thereof to the side plates 57, as by welding. In each of the arms 56, the side plates 57 are arranged below the top plate 51 and above the bottom plate 55 and laterally outwardly with respect to the adjacent side wall 42 of the stub draft sill 40; and furthermore, the side plates 57 are rigidly secured in place, as by welding. Accordingly, the composite bolster 50 is of rigid construction and is rigidly connected to the intermediate portion of the stub draft sill 40. The arms 56 of the body bolster 50 respectively carry a pair of laterally spaced-apart bearing plates 59 adjacent to the outer ends thereof that are adapted to cooperate with the usual truck side bearings, not shown, carried by the bolster, not shown, of the associated truck 60, so as to limit tipping of the body shell 11, in the usual manner.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 7, the intermediate portion of the stub draft sill 40 incorporates a bolster center brace structure 70, that is of conventional construction, and that includes a lower centering plate 71 and rear draft lugs 72. For example, the bolster center brace structure 70 may be of the construction and arrangement of that disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,355,524, granted on August 8, 1944, to Fred I. Garlock and lohn R. Mull. Of course, it will be understood that the centering plate 71 cooperates with the center bearing, not shown, carried by the bolster of the truck 60, in the usual manner, and that the body bolster 50 and the bolster of the truck 60 are connected together by a center pin, not shown, in the usual manner.

As indicated in FIGS. l, 2 and 4, the extreme outer end of the stub draft sill 40 is hollow and constitutes a draft arm that receives striking plate structure that is of conventional construction and incorporates the usual front draft lugs, not shown; which striking plate structure 80 may be of the construction and arrangement of that disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,706,051, granted on April l2, 1955, to Carl F. Nystrorn.

The bolster center brace structure 70 and the striking plate structure 80 are arranged in longitudinally spacedapart relation to provide a hollow pocket 81 therebetween in the draft arm, as best shown in FIG. 4; which pocket 81 receives the usual friction draft gear that terminates in a forwardly projecting coupling, indicated at 91 in FIGS. l and 2. Of course, it will be understood that the longitudinal draft forces applied to the coupling 91 are transmitted by the draft gear, not shown, to the cooperating rear draft lug 72 and front draft lug, not shown, thereby to effect the cushioned transmission of the longitudinal draft and buff forces to the stub draft sill 40, for the usual draft and buff purposes.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7, a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart saddle plates respectively embrace the adjacent lower portions of the end sections 14 of the body shell 11, and each of the saddle plates is formed of -1/2 in. steel plate and rigidly connected to the adjacent lower portion of the end section 14, as by welding about the periphery thereof, as indicated at 101 in FIGS. 4 and 7. A pair of longitudinally spaced-apart and laterally extending pedestal structures 110 are respectively arranged between the saddle plates 100 and the body bolsters 5t).

Referring now to FIGS. 4, 7, 8 and 9, the pedestal structure 110 is fabricated of 51/2 in. steel plate and essentially comprises a laterally extending bottom plate 111 disposed in superimposed relation with respect to the top plate 51 of the adjacent body bolster 50 and rigidly connected thereto, as by welding, as indicated at 112 in FIG. 8. The pedestal structure 110 also includes a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart and laterally extending upstanding side plates 113 arranged between the bottom plate 111 and the adjacent saddle plate 100, each of the side plates 113 being substantially arcuate shaped and rigidly connected at the opposite ends thereof, as by welding, not shown, to the adjacent bottom plate 111 and the saddle plate 100. Also, the pedestal 110 comprises a pair of outside cover plates 114 interconnecting the opposite ends of the bottom plate 111 and the opposite upper portions of the saddle plate 100. The lower end of each of the outside plates 114 is rigidly connected to the adjacent upper end of the bottom plate 55 and to the adjacent outer end of the top plate 51 and to the adjacent outer end of the bottom plate 111 at the junction therebetween, as by welding, as indicated at 115 in FIG. 7, while the upper end of each of the outside plates 114 is rigidly connected to the adjacent upper portion of the saddle plate 100, as by welding, as indicated at 116 in FIG. 7. Further, the pedestal 110 incorporates a plurality of gusset plates 117, 118 and 119 arranged between the side plates 113 and rigidly secured thereto, as by welding; and finally, the pedestal structure 110 includes a plurality of gusset plates 120 arranged exteriorly of the side plates 113 and extending between the bottom plate 111 and the saddle plate 100 and suitably welded in place at the edges thereof to the abutting ones of the elements mentioned.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the pedestal structure 110 is of rigid construction and is rigidly connected between the body bolster 50 and the saddle plate ltltl, thereby to support the adjacent end section 14 of the body shell 11 upon the body bolster 50.

In the constructional example of the railway tank car embodying the body shell 11 of the dimensions, as previously explained, the overall longitudinal distance between the outer surfaces of the striking plate structures St) is 64 ft. 21/2 in., and the distance between the center pins at the body bolsters 50 is 53 ft. 3 in. The tops of the sections 12, 13 and 14 are disposed 147%6 in. above the plane of the rails 62; the centers of the end sections 14 of the body shell 11 are disposed 97 in. above the plane of the rails 62; the bottoms of the end sections 14- of the body shell 11 are disposed 4611/16 in. above the plane of the rails 62; the bottoms of the center sections 12 of the body shell 11 are disposed 279/16 in. above the plane of the rails 62; the tops of the stub draft sills ttl are disposed 417/16 in. above the plane of the rails 62; the center lines of the draft gears carried by the stub draft sills 4@ are disposed 341/2 in. above the plane of the rails 62; the bottoms of the flanges 43 of the stub draft sills 40 are disposed 28% in. above the plane of the rails 62; the bottoms of the centering plates 71 carried by the central portions of the stub draft sills 4&1 are disposed 25%r in. above the plane of the rails 62. Also, in the railway tank car 10, the trucks 6i) are of the 100- ton roller bearing type having a 21/2 in. spring travel and provided with the wheels 61 of 36 in. diameter.

Considering now the general mode of operation of the railway tank car 1Q, it is pointed out that the longitudinal draft and buff forces are transmitted from the couplers 91 to the associated draft gears and thence to the stub sills 40 via the front or rear draft lugs, depending upon the direction of the draft or buff forces. The

draft forces transmitted to the stub draft sills 40 are then transmitted to and from the body shell 11 for the draft purpose. More particularly, the major fractions of the draft forces exerted between the stub draft sills 40 and the body shell 11 are applied through the upwardly and outwardly inclined bottoms of the transition sections 13 and through the extreme inner ends of the stub draft sills 4G, via the reinforcing plates 44; while the minor fractions of the draft forces exerted between the stub draft sills 40 and the body shell 11 are applied through the lower portions of the ends sections 14 and through the intermediate portions of the stub draft sills 49, via the saddle plates and the pedestal structures 11) and the body bolsters 5t). More specifically, the major fractions of the draft forces are thus applied between the stub draft sills 4t) and the body shell 11 by virtue of the fact that the center lines of the draft sills 4t) are located well above the lower plane 23 of the center sections 12 of the body shell 11; and in fact, the stub draft sills 4t), in the present arrangement, are located wholly above the lower plane 23 of the center sections 12 of the body shell 11. In the arrangement, the major fractions of the draft forces mentioned comprise at least about 90% of the total applied draft forces, while the minor fractions of the draft forces mentioned comprise not more than about 10% of the total applied draft forces. This arrangement is very advantageous, since it will be appreciated that the major fractions of the draft forces applied through the inner ends of the stub draft sills 4d, via the reinforcing plates 44, produce no rotational moments, or rotational draft torques, between the stub draft sills 40 and the body shell 11. Of course, the minor fractions of the draft forces applied through the intermediate portions of the stub draft sills 40, via the associated body bolsters 5t) and the pedestal structures and the saddle plates 11H3, produce corresponding rotational moments, or rotational draft torques,

ybetween the stub draft sills 4t? and the body shell 11;

however, the minor fractions of the draft forces mentioned are substantially minimized due to the construction described; whereby the corresponding rotational draft torques mentioned are correspondingly minimized. Of course, it will be understood that the rotational draft torques mentioned are objectionable as they produce undesirable shearing stresses between the body bolsters Si) and the pedestal structures 1113 and between the pedestal structures 110 and the saddle plates 100.

When the railway tank car 10 is arranged in a coupled train of railways cars, the longitudinal draft forces are applied from the preceding railway car to the stub draft sill 4t) at one end of the railway tank car 1t) and therefrom into the body shell 11; and from the body shell 11, the longitudinal draft forces are applied to the stub draft sill 4@ at the other end of the railway tank car 1t) and thence to the succeeding railway car. Accordingly, the longitudinal draft forces are transmitted through the body shell 11 of the railway tank car 10 between the railway cars disposed at either end thereof in the `coupled string of railway cars, notwithstanding the circumstance that the railway tank car 1t? comprises no longitudinally extending underframe or center sill whatsoever extending between the opposite ends thereof.

Considering further the operation of the railway tank `car 1u, it will be appreciated that the pedestal structures 110 have their fundamental utility in supporting the opposite end sections 14 and the opposite end heads 15 of the body shell 11 and in preventing undesirable lateral movements, as well as tipping movements, of the opposite ends of the body shell 11. Incident to tipping of the body shell 11 about the longitudinal axis thereof, the tipping or tilting movements are transmitted from the body shell 11 through the saddle plates 160 and the pedestal structures 110 and the body bolsters Sti to the stub draft sills 40; and more particularly, these movements of the body bolsters 50 are limited by the engagements of the corresponding bearing plates 59 carried thereby with the usual truck side bearings, not shown, carried by the bolsters, not shown, of the associated trucks 60, thereby to limit the tipping or tilting mentioned of the body shell 1l, in the usual manner.

In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a railway tank car of improved construction and arrangement that does not incorporate the usual longitudinally extending underframe or center sill extending from end to end thereof and that comprises instead a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart stub draft sills respectively disposed at the opposite ends thereof. Also the railway tank car comprises an improved connection arrangement and disposition of the stub draft sills with respect to the adjacent ends of the body shell that is of fish-belly configuration so that the major fractions of the longitudinal draft forces are applied between the pair of stub draft sills and through the tank body, without causing substantial rotational draft moments or forces between the stub draft sills and the body shell of the railway tank car.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A railway tank car comprising a longitudinal extending tubular body shell defining independently of other structural elements a complete fluid-tight enclosure, said body shell being of self-supporting rigid construction including a substantially cylindrical central section of relatively large diameter and a pair of generally frusto-conical intermediate transition sections and a pair of substantially cylindrical end sections of relatively small diameter and a pair of end heads, the inner ends of said intermeditae transition sections being respectively joined to the opposite outer ends of said central section and the outer ends of said intermediate transition sections being respectively joined to the opposite inner ends of said end sections and said end heads being respectively joined to the outer ends of said end sections, the top of said central section and the tops of said intermediate transition sections and the tops of said end sections being disposed in a substantially horizontal upper plane, the bottom of said central section being disposed in a substantially horizontal lower plane and the bottoms of said end sections being disposed in a substantially horizontal intermediate plane and the bottoms of said intermediate transition sections being respectively disposed in two other planes generally upwardly and oppositely outwardly inclined from said lower plane, whereby said body shell is of fish-belly configuration, a pair of longitudinally aligned stub draft sills respectively arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of said body shell and respectively provided with hollow outer ends adapted respectively to receive a pair of draft gears, the intermediate portions of said stub draft sills being respectively arranged below said end sections and the inner ends of said stub draft sills being respectively arranged below said intermediate transition sections, a pair of reinforcing plates respectively rigidly connected to the upwardly and outwardly inclined bottoms of said intermeiate transition sections, the inner ends of said stub draft sills being respectively rigidly connected to the respectively adjacent ones of said reinforcing plates, a pair of saddle plates respectively arranged below said end sections and respectively embracing the respectively adjacent lower portions thereof and respectively rigidly connected thereto, a pair of laterally extending body bolsters respectively rigidly connected to the intermediate portions of said stub draft sills and a pair of pedestal structures respectively rigidly connecting said body bolsters and the respectively adjacent lower portions of said saddle plates, said body shell constituting the only connection between said stub draft sills for the transmission of the total draft force therebetween, said stub draft sills being located principally between said lower and intermediate planes so that the major fraction ofthe total draft force exerted between said stub draft sills is applied from the inner ends of said stub draft sills through said reinforcing plates to said intermediate transition sections and well above said lower plane and so that the minor fraction of the total draft force exerted between said stub draft sills is applied from the intermediate portions of said stub draft sills through said body bolsters and said pedestal structures and said saddle plates to said end sections, thereby to minimize rotational draft torques between said stub draft sills and said body shell.

2. A railway tank car comprising a longitudinal extending tubular body shell defining independently of other structural elements a complete fluid-tight enclosure, said body shell being of self-supporting rigid construction including a substantially cylindrical central section of relatively large diameter and a pair of generally frusto-conical intermediate transition sections and a pair of substantially cylindrical end sections of relatively small diameter and a pair of end heads, the inner ends of said intermediate transition sections being respectively welded to the opposite outer ends of said central section and the outer ends of said intermediate transition sections being respectively welded to the opposite inner end of said end sections and said end heads being respectively welded to the outer ends of said end sections, the top of said central section and the tops of said intermediate transition sections and the tops of said end sections being disposed in a substantially horizontal upper plane, the bottom of said central section being disposed in a substantially horizontal lower plane and the bottoms of said end sections being disposed in a substantially horizontal intermediate plane and the bottoms of said intermediate transition sections being respectively disposed in two other planes generally upwardly and oppositely outwardly inclined from said lower plane, whereby said body shell is of fishbelly configuration, a pair of longitudinally aligned stub draft sills respectively arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of said body shell and respectively provided with hollow outer ends adapted respectively to receive a pair of draft gears, the intermediate portions of said stub draft sills being respectively arranged below said end sections and the inner ends of said stub draft sills being respectively arranged below said intermediate transition sections, a pair of reinforcing plates respectively welded to the upwardly and outwardly inclined bottoms of said transition sections, the inner ends of said stub draft sills being respectively welded to the respectively adjacent ones of said reinforcing plates, a pair of saddle plates respectively arranged below said end sections and respectively embracing the respectively adjacent lower portions thereof and respectively welded thereto, a pair of laterally extending body bolsters respectively welded to the intermediate portions of said stub draft sills, and a pair of pedestal structures respectively welded to said body bolsters and respectively welded to the adjacent ones of said saddle plates, said body shell constituting the only connection between said stub draft sills for the transmission of the total draft force therebetween, said stub draft sills being located principally between said lower and intermediate planes so that the major fraction of the total draft force exerted between said draft sills is applied from the inner ends of said stub draft sills through said reinforcing plates to said intermediate transition sections and well above said lower plane and so that the minor fraction of the total draft force exerted between said stub draft sills is applied from the intermediate portions of said stub draft sills through said body bolsters and said pedestal structures and said saddle plates to said end sections, thereby to minimize rotational draft torques between said stub draft sills and said body shell.

3. The railway tank car set forth in claim 1 wherein said stub draft sills are located wholly above said lower plane.

4. The railway tank car set forth in claim 1, wherein at least about 90% of the total draft force is applied between the inner ends of said stub draft sills and said intermediate transition sections and not more than about 10% of the total draft force is applied between the intermediate portions of said stub draft sills and said end sections.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Small et al. Mar. 13, 1906 Parsons May 25, 1915 Isaacson Sept. 6, 1932 Prescott Aug. 13, 1935 Howard Feb. 25, 1936 Folrnsbee Oct. 6, 1959 

1. A RAILWAY TANK CAR COMPRISING A LONGITUDINAL EXTENDING TUBULAR BODY SHELL DEFINING INDEPENDENTLY OF OTHER STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS A COMPLETE FLUID-TIGHT ENCLOSURE, SAID BODY SHELL BEING OF SELF-SUPPORTING RIGID CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL CENTRAL SECTION OF RELATIVELY LARGE DIAMETER AND A PAIR OF GENERALLY FRUSTO-CONICAL INTERMEDIATE TRANSITION SECTIONS AND A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL END SECTIONS OF RELATIVELY SMALL DIAMETER AND A PAIR OF END HEADS, THE INNER ENDS OF SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSITION SECTIONS BEING RESPECTIVELY JOINED TO THE OPPOSITE OUTER ENDS OF SAID CENTRAL SECTION AND THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSITION SECTIONS BEING RESPECTIVELY JOINED TO THE OPPOSITE INNER ENDS OF SAID END SECTIONS AND SAID END HEADS BEING RESPECTIVELY JOINED TO THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID END SECTIONS, THE TOP OF SAID CENTRAL SECTION AND THE TOPS OF SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSITION SECTIONS AND THE TOPS OF SAID END SECTIONS BEING DISPOSED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL UPPER PLANE, THE BOTTOM OF SAID CENTRAL SECTION BEING DISPOSED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL LOWER PLANE AND THE BOTTOMS OF SAID END SECTIONS BEING DISPOSED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL INTERMEDIATE PLANE AND THE BOTTOMS OF SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSITION SECTIONS BEING RESPECTIVELY DISPOSED IN TWO OTHER PLANES GENERALLY UPWARDLY AND OPPOSITELY OUTWARDLY INCLINED FROM SAID LOWER PLANE, WHEREBY SAID BODY SHELL IS OF FISH-BELLY CONFIGURATION, A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED STUB DRAFT SILLS RESPECTIVELY ARRANGED ADJACENT TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID BODY SHELL AND RESPECTIVELY PROVIDED WITH HOLLOW OUTER ENDS ADAPTED RESPECTIVELY TO RECEIVE A PAIR OF DRAFT GEARS, THE INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS OF SAID STUB DRAFT SILLS BEING RESPECTIVELY ARRANGED BELOW SAID END SECTIONS AND THE INNER ENDS OF SAID STUB DRAFT SILLS BEING RESPECTIVELY ARRANGED BELOW SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSITION SECTIONS, A PAIR OF REINFORCING PLATES RESPECTIVELY RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO THE UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY INCLINED BOTTOMS OF SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSITION SECTIONS, THE INNER ENDS OF SAID STUB DRAFT SILLS BEING RESPECTIVELY RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO THE RESPECTIVELY ADJACENT ONES OF SAID REINFORCING PLATES, A PAIR OF SADDLE PLATES RESPECTIVELY ARRANGED BELOW SAID END SECTIONS AND RESPECTIVELY EMBRACING THE RESPECTIVELY ADJACENT LOWER PORTIONS THEREOF AND RESPECTIVELY RIGIDLY CONNECTED THERETO, A PAIR OF LATERALLY EXTENDING BODY BOLSTERS RESPECTIVELY RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO THE INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS OF SAID STUB DRAFT SILLS AND A PAIR OF PEDESTAL STRUCTURES RESPECTIVELY RIGIDLY CONNECTING SAID BODY BOLSTERS AND THE RESPECTIVELY ADJACENT LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID SADDLE PLATES, SAID BODY SHELL CONSTITUTING THE ONLY CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID STUB DRAFT SILLS FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF THE TOTAL DRAFT FORCE THEREBETWEEN, SAID STUB DRAFT SILLS BEING LOCATED PRINCIPALLY BETWEEN SAID LOWER AND INTERMEDIATE PLANES SO THAT THE MAJOR FRACTION OF THE TOTAL DRAFT FORCE EXERTED BETWEEN SAID STUB DRAFT SILLS IS APPLIED FROM THE INNER ENDS OF SAID STUB DRAFT SILLS THROUGH SAID REINFORCING PLATES TO SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSITION SECTIONS AND WELL ABOVE SAID LOWER PLANE AND SO THAT THE MINOR FRACTION OF THE TOTAL DRAFT FORCE EXERTED BETWEEN SAID STUB DRAFT SILLS IS APPLIED FROM THE INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS OF SAID STUB DRAFT SILLS THROUGH SAID BODY BOLSTERS AND SAID PEDESTAL STRUCTURES AND SAID SADDLE PLATES TO SAID END SECTIONS, THEREBY TO MINIMIZE ROTATIONAL DRAFT TORQUES BETWEEN SAID STUB DRAFT SILLS AND SAID BODY SHELL. 